Having a few hours to spare, I wasted most of them trying to drag across town from Kings Cross in the midst of the tube strike, I thought I should take the opportunity to visit the fine chaps at Sipsmith. Their tiny distillery and the modest and beautiful Prudence may not seem the most glamorous but it has real history and intrigue. Once a micro-brewery for a pub in the next street and then the legendery late, great Michael Jackson (the whiskey one not the spangly gloved one) used it as his office before the Spismith chaps took it over.
On 11th May 2009 the first vodka flowed through Prudence, swiftly followed on the 14th by baby Emily Hall and the first batch of gin. Just 10 globally sourced botanicals are used by Sipsmiths to create an indivdual product that changes with each small batch as the natural ingredients have a unique diversity. As the nights start to draw in, I would highly recommend searching out a bottle of their rich and pungent Sloe Gin.
Stood in the little distillery with Prudence warming an already warm building and shelves of botanicals and numbered bottles I felt very, very privileged to spend a little time with the Sipsmith guys. They passionately believe in what they're doing and have created a cracking set of spirits to their own agenda rather than demands of a bigger company looking to fill a gap in the market. If you want to experience quality over quantity, hunt out a bottle and pour yourself a sublime G and T.
Peruse the Sipsmith site at your leisure..http://www.sipsmith.com/
